#THE DOCK WORKERS (REGULATION OF EMPLOYMENT) (INAPPLICABILITY TO MAJOR PORTS) ACT, 1997 
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##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS 

1. Short title and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Inapplicability of the provisions of the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948 to 
  major ports. 
4. Transfer of assets and liabilities of the Dock Labour Board, etc., to the Board. 



#THE DOCK WORKERS (REGULATION OF EMPLOYMENT) (INAPPLICABILITY TO MAJOR PORTS) ACT, 1997 

##ACT NO. 31 OF 1997 

[18th August, 1997.] 

An  Act  to  provide  for  inapplicability  of  the  Dock  Workers  (Regulation  of  Employment) 
  Act,  1948  to  dock  workers  of  major  port  trusts  and  for  matters  connected  therewith  or 
  incidental thereto. 

  BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-eighth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

1. **Short title and commencement.**—(1) This Act may be called the Dock Workers (Regulation of 
Employment) (Inapplicability to Major Ports) Act, 1997. 

(2) It  shall  come  into  force  on  such  date as  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 
Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

  (a) “appointed day”, in relation to a major port, means the date specified under section 3 for that 
major port; 

  (b) “Board” has the same meaning as in the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 (38 of 1963); 

  (c) “Dock Labour Board” means a Dock Labour Board established under section 5A of the Dock 
Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948 (9 of 1948); 

  (d) “major port” has the same meaning as in the Indian Ports Act, 1908 (15 of 1908). 

3. **Inapplicability of the provisions of the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948 
to major ports.**—The Central Government may, after settlement is arrived at between the Dock Labour 
Board  of  any  major  port,  its  workmen  and  the  management  of  that  major  port  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947), direct, by notification in the Official Gazette 
that the provisions of the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948 (9 of 1948), shall cease 
to have effect in relation to that major port with effect from the date specified in that notification. 

4. **Transfer  of assets  and  liabilities  of  the  Dock  Labour Board,  etc., to the Board.**—(1) On the 
appointed day in relation to a major port,— 

  (a) all property, assets and funds vested in the Dock Labour Board immediately before such day, 
shall vest in the Board; 

  (b) all  debts,  obligations  and  liabilities  incurred,  all  contracts  entered  into  and  all  matters  and 
things engaged to be done, by, with or for the Dock Labour Board immediately before such day, for 
or in connection with the purposes of the Dock Labour Board, shall be deemed to have been incurred, 
entered into and engaged to be done by, with or for the Board; 

  (c) all  sums  of  money  due  to  the  Dock  Labour  Board  immediately  before  such  day  shall  be 
deemed to be due to the Board; 

  (d) all  suits  and  other  legal  proceedings  instituted  by  or  against  the  Dock  Labour  Board 
immediately before such day for any matter in relation to the Dock Labour Board may be continued 
by or against the Board. 

  (e) every employee and worker serving under the Dock Labour Board shall hold office or service 
under  the  Board  on  the  terms  and  conditions  which  are  not  in  any  way  less  favourable  than  those 
which would have been admissible to him if there had not been transfer of his services to the Board 
and shall continue to do so unless and until his employment in the Board is duly terminated or until 
his tenure, remuneration or terms and conditions of service are duly altered by the Board. 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947), or in any 
other law for the time being in force, the transfer of the services of any employee under this section to the 
Board shall not entitle such employee to any compensation under that Act or any other law, and no such 
claim shall be entertained by any court, tribunal or other authority. 